You might see <bdi> Element reference while reading someone else’s HTML, or need it while building a page of your own. Instead of memorizing a definition, look at a working example and see when the element makes sense.
The Idea in Plain English
Isolates text whose writing direction is unknown, especially usernames mixed into surrounding text.
For a reference page, pay attention to where the element is allowed, whether it needs a closing tag, and what other elements it can contain.
A Working Example
Read the sample once before copying it. Notice the element names and attribute values, then compare them with the explanation below.
<p>Winner: <bdi>مرحبا123</bdi> — 20 points</p>What Each Part Does
- The bdi element isolates text with unpredictable writing direction.
- A paragraph keeps one idea together as readable text.
The username is isolated to reduce punctuation jumps in mixed-direction text.
Try It Yourself
Try replacing the example content with your own while keeping the valid HTML structure.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Using bdo to reverse an unknown username rather than isolating it.
- Changing several parts of the example at once, making it difficult to see which part caused a different result.
- Choosing a tag only because its default appearance looks right, without checking whether it describes the content correctly.
Key Takeaways
- Isolates text whose writing direction is unknown, especially usernames mixed into surrounding text.
- The username is isolated to reduce punctuation jumps in mixed-direction text.
- Test the markup in a browser, and check accessibility and real-world behavior where relevant.